Knob Locks: What Type Of Lock Right To My Home

Are you trying to decide on a lock type for your home? You have a variety of choices, and here at A1 Locksmith Philadelphia, we can help you to decide on the right lock for your home. Choosing among the choices comes down to what you think would work best for your circumstances. When you think of locks and their efficacy, this can help you to choose a lock.

Knob Locks

Perhaps the most common type of lock that you encounter most often, knob locks use a spring bolt with a key. Most doors have a knob lock installed. You can see the lock cylinder at the knob, rather than the door. On external doors, experts don’t recommend knob locks because someone can break into them using a wrench or hammer.

Mortise Locks

Mortise locks used on external doors prove a powerful barrier of entry to burglars. A mortise lock will embed itself into the door, and this lock will use a latch with a pair of handles. You can buy this lock as either a heavy-duty or a light lock, depending on needs. The locksets will secure themselves with a set screw and a cam that becomes a locking mechanism. Mortise locks are offered in a variety of lengths and heights. The strong and reliable performance of this lock makes it a popular choice. Install the mortise lock anywhere that you want a kick-proof and pick-proof lock. Beware of how the best lock will only offer as much strength as the door frame. You need a good door frame in combination with the lock.

Deadbolts

Most external doors will install a deadbolt in combination with other knob locks because it prevents easy access. While burglars can pick their way past other locks, deadbolts offer finality that makes them much harder to work past. Deadbolts don’t use a spring. This makes it impossible to open with a knife, credit card or another tool.

You can buy deadbolts in three types:

• Single

• C

• Knob Locks

• Double

Single deadbolts provide less security than double because you can unlock them from one side with a key. C deadbolts hand you the greatest security and at the same time, flexibility. This type of deadbolt has a thumb turn inside it that you can lock with a key. With the double cylinder deadbolt, you must open it through the use of a key on both sides of the door.

Smart Locks

Along with these types of locks, you have smart locks where you type in a PIN code that will give you access to the home. This lock has convenience in that you don’t have to carry around a set of keys for it. While smart locks do have their advantages, security isn’t one of them. You have to buy a smart lock from a reputable brand that you can trust. Instead of making security better, the issue with a smart lock comes from how it also has to protect on the technological front where hackers can unlock a smart lock door.

Smart locks do, however, come with benefits that make them worth a thought. For example, you can unlock the door even at night because of a backlit keyboard. If you forgot to turn on the porch light that night, you won’t fumble around with your keys to unlock the door. Smart locks offer convenience in that you can just walk up to it, type in the PIN code and enter. They also look cool from a technological standpoint.

How to Choose a Lock?

How do you decide on a lock? You can determine this through a number of factors like:

• Budget

• Desired convenience

• Security level

Once you have rolled through the factors, you can choose based on those things. As important as the lock, you have to look at the door frame as well if you want the maximum level of security. Many people will lay concrete inside a door frame as a way to reinforce it.

Have a Locksmith Install the Door Lock

You don’t want to play games when it comes to your security. An incorrectly installed door lock can lead to a burglary. Even a good lock won’t provide much security if installed improperly. Locksmiths have to train for their profession for between three to four years. They might take a five-day course, but this incredibly complex field requires much to learn everything involved in opening a lock. The average person doesn’t have that level of knowledge, and they can’t check to see that the lock they installed was done correctly. It costs $100 to $200 to have a new lock installed. The cost depends on the complexity of the lock.

Lock installation can be simple in some cases to where you could do it yourself, but you don’t feel assured that it will provide security when needed. If you decide to do it yourself, make sure that you have the same sizing specs as the previous lock, or it can lead to problems. Locksmiths will have the correct tools, and because they have done it thousands of times, they know the procedure to do it correctly. Before you install a lock on your door, first check to see that you have a good one. A locksmith can recommend a good one based on what he’s seen that has worked.

Perhaps you decided that you want to improve the security of your home. For that reason, you want to buy a new lock. Check the brand from your current lock because you want to see that you make an upgrade from the old lock. Looking at the lock grades, you can tell how much security a lock offers. Most locksmiths recommend ANSI Grade 2 locks for residential security. Avoid ANSI Grade 3 because it doesn’t offer the level of security that you would hope for. ANSI Grade 1 is the type of lock that was intended for commercial purposes, and the extra cost may not be worth it.